Jaak Juhansoo passed away at home in Forestdale, MA on the morning of January 13, after a long illness. His wife Daina was with him, supported by the excellent hospice care of Hope Health. He was 74.

Jaak is survived by his son Peeter and first wife Sharon of Marlborough, MA and his daughter Michele Ryan, 5 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild all living in Minnesota.

Jaak was born in the village of Poltsamaa, Estonia on May 16, 1942 to Olga and Peeter Juhansoo and his older brother Jaan. Jaak and his family left war-torn Estonia as refugees, escaping Soviet occupation. After living in a displaced persons camp in Germany for several years, they arrived in New York Harbor just shy of Jaak’s 7th birthday. He never forgot the impact of seeing the Statue of Liberty at sunrise, recognizing it as a symbol of freedom and liberty, offering a sense of safety, hope, and opportunity.

After honoring their sponsorship obligation and transforming a neglected farm in Edisto Island, S.C. into a highly successful, productive mini-plantation, Jaak’s family joined other Estonian immigrant families in Minneapolis, MN. There, they lived a life that exemplified the urgings of the Judge who granted them citizenship: “Be proud of your heritage, preserve your culture, and become good, loyal Americans.”

After graduating from North High School and attending the University of Minnesota, Jaak enlisted in the army, becoming Communications Sergeant with the 9th US Cavalry. One of his most stark memories while on the German-Czeck border was the announcement of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination and the fear of what could erupt internationally.

Honorably discharged from the army in 1965, Jaak worked in the field of electronics in MN and moved east to Waltham as a result of a job offer with Thornton Associates. In the early 70s he established PRIMA Products, his private business of Photo Reproductions in Metal.

This specialized craft was the perfect vocation for Jaak. While proud of the quality of work he produced, its greatest value was in providing a livelihood with which to support his family while offering flexibility and the opportunity to tend to those things that fed his soul: Estonia, organizations that mattered to him, and people.

He believed that he learned to become a better man, concerned for other, through his active engagement with the Salvation Army and Freemasons. He became Master of the Waltham Triad Lodge, member of the Board of Trustees and MA Grand Lodge Representative to the Grand Lodge of Estonia; and became an Advisory Council Member to the Salvation Army, Waltham Corps.

Jaak openly shared his struggles with alcoholism and was a staunch supporter of the Hurley House, a recovery home for alcoholics and addicts in Waltham, himself being a graduate and subsequently proud member of its Board of Directors.
He was the first to acknowledge that any success he had had in life was due to the countless good people who were there for him when he needed support: friends and those associated with the Hurley House, AA, and the Covenant Congregational Church in Waltham in particular.

Without a doubt, his lifelong passion and love was Estonia. He worked tirelessly alongside his Freedom Fighter brethren, reminding local and federal government representatives, local and national organizations and the general public through interviews, speaking engagements, and radio and newspaper articles of the unlawful annexation of the Baltic Countries to the Soviet Union until they regained their freedom in 1991. According to Jaak, he was an Estonian by birth and a Freedom-Fighter by choice.

He was the President of the Boston Estonian Society, the Estonian American National Council, and Estonian World Council. He was recognized for his contributions in preserving Estonian culture by organizations in the U.S. and Canada and by the Estonian government.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend A Funeral Service in celebration of Jaak's life at the Latvian Lutheran Church, 58 Irving St., Brookline, Friday at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at the Gardens of Gethsemane Cemetery in West Roxbury. Visiting hours will be held in The Mary Catherine Chapel of Brasco & Sons, 773 Moody St., Waltham, Thursday from 2-4 & 7-9 p.m. Parking attendants will be on duty.

Expressions of sympathy may be made to the Boston Estonian Society, c/o Paul Attemann, 65 Church St, Warren, RI 02885, the
Hurley House, Inc., PO Box 540662, Waltham, MA 02454, or the Salvation Army, Waltham Corps, 33 Myrtle Street, Waltham, MA 02452